The brutality experienced by employees of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) at the hands of policemen in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, recently could have been avoided had the agency mandated to enforce environment laws has its own enforcement bureau.
This was stressed by Environment Undersecretary Benny D. Antiporda who reiterated the appeal earlier made by Secretary Roy A. Cimatu for the enactment of a law creating an Enforcement Bureau within the DENR.
“We call on Congress to help fast- track the passage of a law that will give the DENR the power to create the Enforcement Bureau. We could have avoided that situation if ever that we are equally armed with perpetrators. Life is more important than anything else. So the main thing that you will do is avoid confrontation if there is an Enforcement Bureau. Since the DENR personnel and officers are unarmed, basically, they are easy targets on situations like this. At that point in time, we are expecting that the PNP was there as our partner but, as it turned out, they became the perpetrators,” Antiporda said.
DENR field personnel are easy targets, not by policemen, but by illegal loggers in Palawan. Several DENR personnel have been killed in Palawan, prompting Cimatu to arm forest protection officers and eventually, appeal to Congress for the creation of a separate Enforcement Bureau within the DENR.
But the incident involving Puerto Princesa City Police Director Col. Marion Balonglong and his men on June 10 was unexpected.
Instead of protecting the DENR employees as they investigated an alleged environmental crime being committed, Balonglong reportedly caused the unlawful arrest and detention of eight employees of the DENR and two others while they were doing fieldwork at Barangay Iwahig in Puerto Princesa City last June 10.
According to reports reaching the DENR Central Office in Quezon City, the DENR workers—together with a representative from the city government’s Bantay Bakawan and a barangay watchman—were conducting an investigation on the illegal occupation and massive mangrove cutting at Sitio Bucana when they were intercepted by Balonglong and his men.
Antiporda said such incident would never happen if the DENR, tasked to enforce various environmental laws, has its own environmental law enforcers who are armed and trained to defend themselves from so-called environmental criminals.
Nevertheless, Antiporda said the incident in Puerto Princesa City was an isolated case and that the DENR maintains a good relationship with the Philippine National Police.
Fortunately, Antiporda said when the incident reached the knowledge of the DENR chief, he was in Boracay with Interior Secretary Eduardo Año.
“As Cimatu said, it was an isolated case and the DENR maintains a good working relationship with the PNP. It was very fortunate that at the time Cimatu received the information about what happened, he was in Boracay with Año. Immediately, the good DILG Secretary took action,” Antiporda said.
Antiporda said the DENR will not let the likes of Balonglong ruin the reputation of the PNP as an institution.
“He is just one bad egg and you now know, he was relieved and facing administrative charges,” Antiporda said.
The DENR official also said the DENR is not letting Balonglong and his men off the hook saying appropriate charges will be filed against him in due time, including alleged violation of the Wildlife Act.
Balonglong, sources said, may be charged in connection with the illegal cutting of mangroves in the area, which is allegedly being developed for the construction of structures without the necessary permit coming from the DENR.
“He is not getting away in case he is behind the illegal cutting of mangroves in that area. Our DENR field personnel are now conducting an assessment and we will definitely prepare and file charges against him for violation of environmental laws,” he said.